Device for operating upon coins



Sept. 25, 1923.

W.- J. BRENNAN DEVICE FOR OPERATING UPON COINS Filed June 18, 1920according'to size, and delivering them sep-' Patented Sept. 1923. gUITED stars WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, or swaiurscorr,'trassncrrusnrrs,assreuon ro com; soR'r-;

JlNG ANDCOUNTING COIvIPANY, 035 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

' nnvicn roitor enarrne uroncomsfi Application filed June 13,1920.Serial no. 390,062;

To'allwhom it may concem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM' J. BREN- NAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing; at Swampscott, in'the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented oer-- tain new and useful Improvements inDe vices for Operating Upon Coins; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention arately to suitablereceptacles.

One object ofthe invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in devices of the above named general character tending tosimplify their construction and I to more efficiently control themovements of the coins, thereby preventing the coinsfrom V becomingdisorderly and insuring that all coins of the same denomination shall-besegregated, from those of nations. c Y 7 To the "accomplishment of thisobject, and

different denonii:

such others as may hereinafter appear, the

invention ;consists in the novel features of construction andarrangement of parts here-;

inafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be apparentto those skilled in the art, from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment ofthe inven tion, Figure 1 is a top plan view -0f the improved device;Fig. 2 is 'a sectional View taken on the lineiZ-Q of Fig. 1'; Fig.3"i's'a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 isasectiona] view taken-'on the line 1& of Fig. 1. In accordance with thepresent invention, a mass of coins of variousdenominations is operatedupon by aseparating device .6,-

whereby themass is separated into individual coins and the coinsdelivered successively into the upper end of an inclined sort ing chute8 The chute 8 is so constructed and arranged that the coins rollon edgedown the chute and are selectively diverted according to size throu-gh'aseries of opentats? ingslO (Figs. 2 and 3') in one oi'the side 7 wallsthereof, into :a series of? secondary I chutes1 2, each of thejlatterleading to one"; of a plurality of collecting tubes or recep-f tacles14, as'shown' in'Fig; 1.

The separating device 6is lprovided with i a pocket-or receptacle '16for receiving the coins to be sorted, and an inclined rotaryvdistributing or separating plate l8,.whic-h forms one side of the coinpocket 16,and

/ operates toseparate; the coins from the mass in the pocket and deliverthem successively into'the sorting chute; The separating dev1ce6 issimilar 1n construction and mode of operation to that of theseparating'device illustrated, described and claimed in a co-pendingapplication, Serial No; 269,145, filed Dec. 31, 1918, by'John E. Doldt,and

the mechanism for rotating the'distributing plate may be slmilar to themechanismiemployed for the same purpose in said application. As setforth inthe application ref ferred to, the inclined distributingplate'18- is mounted upon a stationary-disk-shaped head 20'which ispartially surrounde'cl 'by a peripheral 'coin retaining wall 22, and

said plate is provided with a plurality of radiating feed strlps or'ribs 24 which serve to separate the coins from the mass in" the coinpocket as the plate rotates. A peculir:

'arly shaped curved wall26, similarin contour to thatfof thecorresponding part in the device of the aforesaid applicatiomfis anextension of the wall 22 and serves, in conjunction with thedistributing plate, to form the pocket 16 in which the coins arereceived. As also described in the aforesaid application, a series ofshallow grooves 28 are formed in the distributing plate, concentric withthe periphery thereof, a-ndjva series of smallp'ointedprongsBOi projectfrom the curved wall 26 into the grooves for thepur-l pose of dislodgingfrom the. face ofithe'distributing plate any coins which mayjtend toadhere thereto. In the present device, in addition tosaid prongs, therearealso provided-a pluralityof pins32 (Figs. l and 4c) which projectfrom the loweredge of the curved wall 26 intothe grooves 28 and serve torevent an coins from assin from the coin pocket 16 downwardly beneaththe wall In the present construction, also, the

distributing plate 18 is rotated in a clock,-

7 must be se regated from the others.

wise direction, instead of in a counter-clock-.

wise direction, as described in the prior application, in order that thecoins may be introduced into the sorting chute substantially in thedirection of the length of the chute so as to avoid any tendency ofthe'coins to rebound from the chute. As the separating device operates,all of the coins eventually come into contact with the coin-retainingwall 22, and slide along the lower edge of this wall until they reachthe lower end thereof, whereupon they are discharged directly into, thesorting chute.

The sorting chute 8 comprises a floor portion 86 andopposite side walls38, and is made sufiiciently narrow to insure that the,

smallest coins will be supported on edge therein. Throughout the greaterportion of its length, the chute 8 is straight but near the entrance endthereof the chute is curved, as shown in Fi 1, and extends substantiallyone-third of the way around the supporting tributing plate and the upperedge of the in- V ner side wall of the chute adjoins the marginalportion of-the head 20 between the lower end of the coin retaining wall22 and the curved side wall 26' of the coin pocket. To prevent the coinsfrom passing too A idly down the chute so that they might possibly beimproperly sorted, the portion of the sorting chute adjacent its curvedupper end is inclined at a slightlyless angle than the remainingstraight portion of the chute, as indicated in Fig. 2, and thus retardssomewhat the speed of the coins.

The coins of the largest size or denomination among those delivered tothe sorting chute are guided by this chute directly into a suitablereceptacle (not shown) which is provided to receive them. All the sinaler coins, however, must be segregated from the largest ones and'thoseofeach denomination With this end in view there is an. opening 10provided in the sorting chute for each deno1nination of coins to beoperated upon except the largest, each opening 10 connectingthe sortingchute with a separate secondar chute 12, and in order that the coins inpassing down the sorting chute be diverted laterally by gravity throughthe openings 10 into the secondary chute, the sorting chute is inclinedtransversely, as well as longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 3. The angleof transverse inclination and the vwidth of the'sorting chute are madesuch as to render it impossible for even, the smallest of the coinsoperated upon to stand in an erect position as it rolls down the chute.Conse quently, the coins will pass down the chute with one facethereof'resting upon the lower- I posite end thereof.

chute; As shown in Fig. 2, the openings 10 are elongated in thedirectionof the length of the chute and each is made'just sulficient inwidth to permitlthe passage therethrough of a particular denomination ofcoins, the

smallest opening being located nearest the entrance end of the chute andthe openings growing progressively larger toward the op-, Thus the dnnesor the.

smallest coins will be diverted through the first of theopenings 10*while next inorder will be diverted the pennies, nickels, quarters andhalf dollars, while the dollars may pass directly from the sorting-chuteinto a suitable receptacle as hereinbefore described, said receptaclebeing located beyond the last secondary chuteQ y r In order toprevent-the escape through any of the openings 10 of coins which are ofdiameter greater thanthewidth or" said openings, the lower edges ofthese openings are located slightly above the floor of the sortingchute, as shown in Fig. 3. lViththe openings lOthus located, the-portionof the side wallof the chute just beneath each of said openingsconstitutes av shoulder .40 which engages the faces of the coins as theyroll down the chute across said openings and prevents the lower portionsof the coins from being diverted outwardly through the opening. In theabsence of such a shoulder beneath each opening 10, the coins would be.

dis alaced b ravit bottom ed e first so,

that they would project obliquely through the opening 10, in which eventthe coins, would strike against'the end of the opening and be-deflectedtherethrough and into the secondary chutes associated therewith, andwhile thus pro ect1ng obhquely'through the opening their upper.edgeswould interfere with the free passage of'coins through the mainchute. By means of the above described construction, however, anytendency of the coins to be thus displaced and dc;

fiected into thesecondary -chute is avoided. Not only are the co ns thusprevented from belng dlverted into the wrong secondary chutes but, theyare caused to tip top edge foremost through the openings 10 so thatposited in the-device. Inorder to prevent such coins or any other coinsof odd sizes which might foranyreason be improperly sorted into asecondary chute, from being delivered into the corresponding collectingtube, together with the properly. sorted coins, provision is made foreliminating such improperly sorted coins from the secondary chutes. Tothis end each secondary chute is provided with an elongated opening 42through which such coins may escape. These openings 42 are centrallylocated transversely of the secondary chutes so that all coins properlypassing through said chutes will pass over the openings without fallingtherethrough. Smaller coins, however, being unsupported when they reachthe openings 42 will be eliminated from the chute. The coins which arethus eliminated from the secondary chutes fall into an inclined tray orchute 44 which extends transversely beneath said openings, and by meansof which the discarded coins may be guided into a suitable receptacle(not shown).

The collecting tubes 14 into which the properly sorted coins aredelivered by the secondary chutes are supported upon a table 46, to forma series of upright magazines, each adapted to contain a stack of coinsof a single denomination. The coins which are assembled in thecollecting tubes 14 may be fed from the bottom of the tubes to countingdevices and thereafter delivered to bank packages, if desired, or theymay be used directly from the collecting tubes for making change or forany other purpose,

The present device is useful wherever it is desirable to effect thesorting of coins according to size from an indiscriminate mass and todistribute the sorted coins tosuitable receptacles. The coins areintroduced into the sorting chute 8' in such a manner that they continueto travel in a directionwhich is substantially a continuation of theirdirection of movement in the separating device ust before entering thesorting chute. Moreover the speed with which the coins travel iscarefully regulated by the pitchof the chute so as to prevent the coinsfrom moving too fast and thus possibly being prevented from passingthrough the proper opening 10. Consequently there is no tendency for thecoins thus introduced into the chute to rebound or to move out ofrolling contact with the floor of the chute, or out of sliding contactwith the lowermost side wall thereof, as they pass through the chute. Itis therefore unnecessary to employ any special devices for insuring theorderly behavior of the coins in the sorting chute. The coins fallgently through the openings 10 until they lie flat upon the floor of;the secondary chutes and there is no tendency for them to rise outoftheir reclining position as they slide through these chutes, and accordingly no additional provision need be made to prevent disorderlybehavior of the coins in said chutes.

It will be seen that the device is extremely simple in construction andmode of operation, havingno parts liable to get out of order orinterferewith the free passage of the-coins through the device. The device may berelied upon to deliver to the col-' lecting tubes only coins of theproper 'denomination since any possible inaccuracy in the sorting isrectifiedfiy the elimination from the secondary chutes of any improperlysorted'coins.

It is preferred to provide for the auto- -matic replenishment of thesupply of coins in the. coin pocket 16 of the separating de vice atregular intervals by means of apparatus such as that disclosed in thehereinbefore mentioned application, Serial No. 269;

145. As therein illustrated and described,

a main supply hopper 50 is provided into which the mass of coins to beoperated upon is deposited by the attendant. A plunger 52' of coins fromthe mass in the hopper and discharging them through a lateral opening,

54, adjacent the topofthe hopper, into a downwardly inclined chute 56which discharges the coins into the coin pocket 16.

While it is preferred to embody the in vention in a device having thespecific'construction and arrangement of parts herein shown anddescribed, it will be understood that such construction and arrangementis not essential except so far as specified in the claims and maybechanged or modified without departingfrom the spirit and true:

plate adapted to pass under the wall as the plate rotates and to engagecertain of the coins to separatethem from the mass, a plurality ofgrooves in the uppermost face of.

the plate concentric with the periphery thereof, and a plurality of pinsprojecting e 115 downwardly from the lower edge of said stationary wallinto said grooves to prevent any of the" coins of the mass from escapingdownwardly beneath saidstationary wall.

.IGCIPIOCHIBS vertically through the hopper 50, intermittently elevatingsmall members in combination, a coin separating V I l 2. A device foroperating upon coins havl 'ing, in combination, a longitudinallyinclined' main coin chute having an opening formed in the side thereof,the chute being tilted transversely to cause coins of'a predeterminedsize to be diverted bygravity through said opening, and a secondarychute connected with the main chute through said opening, said secondarychute. being provided with an opening for theelimination of coinsimproperly diverted into said chute.

WILLIAM J BRENNAN. e

